Yes, the Shamu show is more exciting with trainers in the water 81% correct! (205)

No, it's too risky for the trainers 13% correct! (32)

No, the show is fine the way it is 5% correct! (13)

I don't know, I've never seen a Shamu show 1% correct! (2)

252 total votes.

Next spring — a little more than a year after an orca trainer was killed at SeaWorld Orlando — a new show featuring the killer whales will debut at the three marine-themed parks, including San Diego.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, while not revealing any details of the new attraction, said that at least initially, it will not include any interaction in the water between the trainers and the killer whales.

SeaWorld suspended all interaction between trainers and the whales in the orca tanks following the death of Dawn Brancheau, who died after the 12,000-pound Tilikum dragged her into the pool and battered her, as spectators looked on.

The company has since been conducting an internal review of its killer whale program, beyond just the Shamu show.

"The in-water interaction will not resume until the safety review that we’re in the middle of is done," said Fred Jacobs, spokesman for SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment. "It’s our goal to get there, but we’re not there yet.

"Until we can satisfy ourselves that we’ve created an environment that’s as safe as we can make it for our trainers, we’re not going to resume in-water interaction."

Although plans for a new show to replace the current "Believe" Shamu attraction had been in the works since last fall, those plans were accelerated after Brancheau's death.

Jacobs noted that the current show was designed around the relationship between the trainers and the whales, so the new attraction will not be dependent on that interaction.

It has clearly been a challenging year for SeaWorld, what with the death of the trainer and more recently, the death in September of one of the killer whales at the San Diego park.

And in August, SeaWorld was fined $75,000 by the U.S. Department of Labor over allegations that it neglected safety measures before the death of the orca trainer.

Recognizing the need to freshen up its older attractions and keep visitors returning to its parks, SeaWorld is developing the new Shamu show toward that end, Jacobs pointed out.

"We redo all of our shows on a fairly regular basis, between three and eight years, whether it’s the sea lion and otter show or the killer whale show," Jacobs explained. "The Believe show been in place for more than four years, and a lot of our attendance at any SeaWorld park comes from the local market and pass holders, and we want to keep the shows fresh for them."